Jaded Part 1
by spikesjade
Summary: I orginial wrote this story even before the 7th season started, based on spoilers. It takes place a couple of months later in Sunnydale and in the Scoobies lives. Each chapter is long--a whole eps actually or one week on the show. So Enjoy it is good.
1. Jaded Part 1

Part 1:

It was evening the sun had just finished setting and it was growing darker and darker by the second.  A man who was not very tall and was of medium-build.  Had just left his office building working later then the rest of his co-workers, carrying a briefcase filled with more work for him to do at home.  He was walking to his car when he sensed something behind him.  He stopped walking and turned around, but there was no one there.  He shrugged it off, "Stupid nerves", he mumbled to himself.  He started to walk again this time quickening his pace. This town was not known for being one of the safest anywhere. But, soon he felt it again and this time even the hair on the back of his neck and arms stood up.  He decided to be more cautious, gripping the briefcase more tightly to use as a weapon if he had to.  He spun around so fast that he almost lost his balance, but again nothing.  He breathed a short sigh of relieve to calm his nerves and slow his heartbeat.  He turned back around to face his car, but when he did he could not see it.  In front of him was some sort of thing, a monster or something.  He tried to scream but no sound came from his mouth.  The man just had a frighten look of terror upon his now pale face.  This creature or monster was coming even closer to him.  He tried to move, but his limbs would not budge at all, not even the arm with the hand that held the case. He couldn't run, scream or even fight for his life; he was at the mercy of this thing.  He knew that this was the end of him as the monster lunged at him. 

The next day everyone was at the magic shop, which was still not up and running yet.  The whole gang was there; Buffy, Anya, Dawn, Xander, and even Willow and Giles were there working on it, after what happen to it months earlier.  Giles was still there to help out with the insurance claims for Anya.  He was also helping Willow with her counseling to bring her back from what she did and to deal with Tara's death.  He and Buffy were in the training room working out together.  The training room was back to normal, with the least amount of damage to it.  Willow and Dawn are organizing books, Will was doing better and everyone still loved her and understood what she was going through.  They were also helping with her recovery, keeping her busy and stuff.  They were listening to Anya and Xander argue over shelving space and how it would look in the place. She wanted more shelves in the shop to fit her new 

Philosophy: the more shelves, the more items, the more money to make.  He was trying to explain to her that if there are more shelves that no one will be able to browse around, without hitting a table or something.  That if people can't browse and move around that she is not going to be able to make her "more money".  Besides that, they were sort of talking together but taking things very slowly with the whole relationship.  Buffy and Dawn were getting along better then before too.  Buffy lightened up a little, letting Dawn have a bit more freedom and even let her learn some self-defense.  She was learning just incase she was attacked by something or someone and Buffy was not around.  Buffy seemed to lighten up on herself to, she was just like her old self again, not worrying about the dark things.  She was just enjoying her friends and her life again, she was not even really thinking about Spike.  Who no one had seen since he left town.  Every time she went out patrolling, she kept on expecting to see or hear him.  But, lately things had been quiet except for the usually vampires.  The gang was just enjoying it while it lasted. 

Back at the magic shop Anya's and Xander's argument is getting louder.  

"Anya, I told you it would look to cluttered, and shelfy."  He told her pointing to the shelf behind the counter.

"Fine then, how about we add a few more shelves around here then."  She said turning around looking at the shop to see where they could be put. 

"And where would you put them at?" He asked her thinking she would not find any places. 

"Well, we can move that table out of here and put one there."  She said as she pointed to the table where Willow and Dawn were sitting at, the table where the scoobies sat at and did research when they were there.   

"Ahn, You can't get rid of the research table.   Where would we do it at?"  He told her looking at her now. 

"You guys can research in the training room, more room for spreading out and books."  She said as she started to go over the plans again.  

"What?" he said confused at what she just said. 

"Look with the table gone I might be able to put two little ones there."  She pointed back at the table.  Xander just rolled his eyes again for the hundredth time since 

they started this discussion, but he loved every minute of it.  He and Anya were starting to sound like they use when they were talking about something together as a couple. 

Willow and Dawn decide to move away to a more open area towards the back of the shop where they were not around Anya's and Xander's fight.  When Willow was sure that they couldn't see them she started to mock Xander and was doing a good job.  Dawn started to do Anya and they were starting to laugh in between imitations. 

"Anya, Why do you need to add a shelf to the grown number you all ready have?", she said in her best Xander's voice.  

"Because, I need shelves there are my life, that and being rich."  Dawn sound really great as Anya.

"Well, I can't make anymore my shelf-making power is all most gone."  Willow started to crackle up with laugher, while do superhero stances.  Dawn was almost gone too.

"Well, then I will have to find a way to make all of you into shelves.  Then I will have enough to make tons of money."  Dawn said rubbing her hands in a greedy way.  

 Just as they were really starting to get into full laugh-mode Buffy and Giles came out and were talking about food.  

"I don't know I can sure go for some pizza with everything on it."  Buffy said to him as she sat down at the table, as he walked over to the counter seeing Anya's latest plans update.  

"I have a craving for Chinese, some egg rolls and also chicken on white rice. "  Giles told her; "How about you two?" he asked Xander and Anya. 

"I could do a pizza", Xander said as he walked over to the table. 

"Yes, me too."  She said to Giles, "oh, with lots of mushrooms." She added on as she started to get that exciting look in her eyes, like she did over everything.  Willow and Dawn came out from where they were hiding at the mention of food; it seemed that everyone was hungry.  

"Hey, did some one mention pizza?"  Dawn asked standing next to her sister. 

"We are trying to figure out what to get for lunch."  Giles told them and he already know what they answers were going to be and he lost. 

"A pizza from me."  Willow said looking at everyone else. 

"Pizza me too."  Dawn chimed in.  Everyone then looked at Giles and he gave in and they all decide to order three large pizza; one with everything, one with just cheese and another with half extra black olives and extra mushroom.  Xander decided to make the pizza and soda run, to get a breather from Anya. While he was gone Giles decide to teach Dawn a new move, and Buffy went over to help Will. Dawn love that Buffy was so much cooler and even letting her learn karate and stuff.  She even said that after she was better at it and Giles and her both approved that she might be able to go with her on patrol, Dawn couldn't wait.  But, of course she also had to keep her grades up, no stealing and being good with the other stuff. Dawn followed Giles to the back of the store as Buffy and Willow started to laugh over what her and Dawn were doing before they came out. 

Meanwhile outside the magic shop, a girl walked out of the store across the street just as Xander drove away from the magic shop.  The girl was short about 5'1" with medium-length reddish blond hair.  She was a pale complexion, who seemed to be different in some way.  She was quiet and kept to herself, for she had no really friends.  But the one thing that really stood out on her was her eyes.  They were an incredible beautiful color of green, actual the color of Jade to be exacted.  This is how she got her name Jade…Jade Allison.  She just came to Sunnydale a year before and she was all ready settled in.  This was a strange town and she loved it, better then where she came from.  She looked over at the Magic Box, she always wanted to go in there but by the time she finally got around to it, it was closed for repairs.  There were other magic shops around there, Sunnydale seem to be supernatural central or something.  But that shop seemed different, like it was special or had something special attach to it.  She shrugged her shoulders and head towards her hotel. 

Spike was actually back in Sunnydale hanging low, not letting anyone know he was back until he figured out what he wanted to do with Buffy.  He was in a dark quiet motel room by himself.  He was tired and hungry, and he did not have any blood left.  That meant that he had to go out tonight and try to get some without anyone recognizing him.  He got to town a couple of weeks ago and stayed in the room since.  He was feeling different; weaker or stronger, he couldn't make up his mind.  The whole soul thing was making him confessed, or maybe it was the chip again.  He was starting 

to thing about Buffy again for the thousandth time.  'What was he going to do? What would he say to her? Would this even help him or was it a big waste?'  These questions 

were always hunting him when he started to think of her.  'What do you do with a soul? Would he be just like Angel or even worse thanks to the chippy still in his head?'  

More questions to come with each thought.  He looked out the closed window; night in few more hours and then he will come out of the dark to the dark. 

Later that night, Spike decided to go to his crypt to see if there was any blood left in the refrigerator.  Clem was still there and was taken good care of the place.  It was Tuesday night-poker night, he made sure to stop by when he was gone.  He really 

didn't want to get into where he was and what he did with him.  He made sure the coast was clear as he made his way across the cemetery to his front door.  He was growing weak from lack of blood and he wanted to get in and out of there.  He wanted to do this, incase Buffy decided to pick this graveyard to patrol tonight, that was someone he really did not want to run into, not yet anyways.   Spike looked through one of the windows on the side, to make sure it was empty, it was.  He opened the door and closed it behind him so no one would know that someone was there.  He then headed straight for the icebox, praying for some blood to still be in there.  When he opened it, it was full of junk food; pudding, sodas, pickles, Ice cream and a lot of microwave meals.  'Yeah, Clem was really making himself at home.' He thought to himself, but he just rolled his eyes instead.  He searched through everything, careful not to disturb the contents and there in the very back was a liter of blood.  He grabbed it and drank some of it; it tasted so good as it went down.  He made sure to only drinking a little bit; just enough to regain some strength back.  He recapped the rest and looked around for anything else he needed.  He forgot where he left his leather duster at and wondered if it was there; no he did not see it.  He turned around and took one last look around and left his home again.  He made sure to take the same path back to the motel again, where he was sure not to be seen.  Just as he was out of sight, someone stepped out from behind a tree it was Jade. 

The next night Buffy was just about to enter her house; it had been a very long day and night.  Not only did she have to work a double-shift, but she also fought three vampires while patrolling.  All she wanted to do was eat, take a long bath and go to bed.  But, when she opened the door and walked into the living room, she was surprised to find Giles there.  He was sitting on the couch reading the newspaper. 

"Uh, Giles.   What are you doing here?" she asked as she shed her jacket.

"Willow", he told her as he put the paper down, "She had one of her nightmares and she did not want to be alone.  Dawn is spending the night at Megan's house and I decided to stay until you came home from work."  He finished telling her as she sat down next to him.  

"Oh, is…is she okay now?" she asked looking up the stairs worried.

"Yes, she fell back to sleep about an hour ago." He said as he took off his glasses and rubbed his tired eyes.  "Buffy, I think Willow is getting better, but like I said before it is going to take quite some time. "  He said as he replaced the glasses back on his face.  

"I know, but at least she is getting better.  I'm sorry that you had to come over here tonight.  I was only supposes to work this morning but that idiot John didn't show up and I had to work his shift.  I just hate co-workers sometimes, especially when I get punished for it.  " Buffy said to him trying to help change the subject.

"It is alright, I remember how that use to be.  I used to work with Anya.  I wasn't even allowed to go by or near the register, without her running over to see what I was doing and it was my bloody store. " He smiled at her with a little chuckle and she smiled back at him, god how she had missed him.  "I am glad that I can be here to help you guys out.  I miss not be able too." He said as if he had just read her mind. 

"Yeah, me too." She said as both of them just smiled at each other and sat in silence for a couple of seconds. Neither of them wanted to mention about him leaving again, actual no one brought it up, not even Anya.

"Oh Buffy, there is something that I wanted to show you." He said as he reached for the paper.  "I was reading this right before Willow called me, and I just finished the article.  It sounded interesting and a bit strange.  A man was found this morning in a parking lot, burned to death.  The police do not have any witness or know what might have caused it.  One of the officers said, 'that it might have been foul play, but they have to investigate some more.'"  He told her as she looked at the article and the picture of the man. 

"Are you sure it was a demon, it sounds like someone tried to kill him by setting him on fire."  She told him as she set the paper down and looked back up at him.  

"I won't know for sure until I see the body, but I'm going to tell everyone tomorrow and we might need to start looking for this thing.  Just in case, to prevent something like it happening again."  He said to her and they both feel back into silence again.   "Well, I better be going it is really late."  He said as he started to get up after a few more moments of sitting together.   

"Okay, I'll see you in the morning then." she stood up as he did and walk to the door.  

"Yes. Well good night Buffy."  He said as he gave her one last smile 

"Good night, Giles." She told him as he walked out the door and to his rental car.  She closed the door behind him and turned off the lights in the house.  "There goes those quiet nights in Sunnydale," she said to herself as she head upstairs.  When she reached the top, she decided to take a quick look in on Willow.  She was still sleeping, hugging a pillow that use to be Tara's.  Buffy closed the door gently and opened hers'.  She turned on the light and sat down on her bed.  She took the pony tale holder out of her hair and put that and the hat that she took off earlier on her dresser.  She gathered her stuff together; decide to get what she was going to wear tomorrow out so she did not have to worry about it later.  She opened the closet and pulled out a new shirt that she brought a couple of days ago.  She thought that maybe her, Dawn and Willow can all wear it and that way she would not feel guilt over buying it.  Buffy started to search for the right pair of bottoms to wear with it.  When she came across something, she had forgotten that she put in there…Spike's duster.  She original threw it in there, so she did not have to look at it and remember what had happened.  But after she found out that he left, she decided to hang it up and keep it just incase he did come back and wanted it.  Buffy just stood there and stared at it.  She took her hand and touched the leather sleeve of the coat.  Trying to remember how he uses to make her feel different when she was with him, more alive.  Then she would feel different in the next minute, like sick through out her entire body, like after…  She shook her head to get that thought out before it made itself full.  She looked at it one more time, and then she shoved it to the back of the closet, where no one could see it.  She took a deep breath as she closed the door and regathers, her stuff again and head for the bathroom for a long needed bath. 

Jade was laying in bed at the hotel room she had just finish reading a very good book, that was teaching all sorts of different things.  She smiled as she placed it on the table next to the bed.  The book was called, '_Magic and Other Supernatural Things in This World._'  She turns off her bed light and settles into the covers, just as something strange appears in the room out of no where.  It was a monster of some sort, it she turned on the light right next to her and looked over at it.  It was red like, a blood red.  It had three horns on it's head one come out of the top of his head and one on each side on his cheeks.  Three eyes two on top and one on the bottom, between both.  His mouth was full of sharp point teeth, like that of a shark, with two huge fangs.  He was about 7 feet tall with bumps covering all over his body.  His hands were also huge with very sharp nails on the end of his fingers, all six of them.    
  


"What are you doing here?" she asked the demon sitting up in bed. 

"To ask what you want me to do next?" he answered her as he just stood there.

"Good job.  I read what you did to that man.  But, this time I don't want you to kill him, just for you to hurt him.  See how long he can last, do you understand me?" 

she told him.  He just nodded his head and left in the flash of light and smoke.  Jade turned the light off again and settled back down in bed. 

The next day at the magic shop everyone was sitting around the table, while Giles explained to them what he had told Buffy the night earlier and what he found out 

at the coroner's office.  He told them that he was with a study of scientists who does papers on strange deaths, by burns.  

"The chief coroner told me, that in fact this man death was caused by burning.  He said that it was strange, because he had never seen anything like this before.  The man was burned through out in some places and not burned at all in other, like some one had place something there to concentrated on a specific area for a long period of time.  That is all he could tell me."  He said to them as he started to put the books on the table.

"So, you want us to look for something that can burn people up?"  Dawn asked as she repositioned herself in the chair and grabbed one of the books on the table. 

"Anya, are you sure you want us to research in here or do you want us to move to the training room?"  Xander asked Anya in a sarcastic tone.  Everyone just looked at Xander and Anya like they were both crazy; she just gave him a sour look.  

"Um, yes.  We need to start trying to look for this and figuring out how to stop it.  I was hoping to do it before anyone else got hurt, but I am afraid that we are already too late.  I heard on the way over here on the radio, that there was another attacks earlier this morning to some man jogging.  Luckily, for us he survived. The things is that he has been so badly burned, that's he isn't  able to talk.  So, I need someone to go to the hospital and see if he has similar type of injures that to other man had.  If so then they may be the same creature.  He told them as piled more books on the table, getting back at the subject at hand.  

"Are we sure it is not that singing demon, Sweet again?" Anya asked.

"I am sure no sing or dancing as of yet." Giles reassured her.

"I got a theory", Xander started to sing out loud.  Everyone just looked at him horrified and then he broke into a huge grin.  "I am just joking." He said normally again still grinning. 

"That is not funny, at all." Buffy told him.  He just rolled his eyes and Giles continued with what he was saying, sounding a bit annoyed. 

"So, if it is not him, it is a different sort of demon."  Giles informs them. "Willow, do you think that you are up for this?  I mean go to the hospital?  It's alright if you are not ready.  I can go." He asked looking over at Willow as he paused with the books. 

"I think that I can, but I think it would be better if someone could come with me."  She told him quietly. 

"No, sweat Will.  Me and Buffy will go with you.  I be the driver, you be the brains, and Buffy the brawn.  The perfect team."  Xander said, to make Willow smile and she did.  

"Hey, I got brains too." Buffy said to Xander playfully hitting him, also getting him back for the singing. 

"I know but not Willow brains, you don't." He told her laughing through the pain in his arm now.  Willow smiled now broke into a laugh and Buffy made a quick pouting face.  Dawn looking at the pile of fifty books sitting in front of them, that Giles had just finished piling on the table. 

"Giles, I was just wondering something.  With the hundreds of times you guys go through these books, that you might want to put them on a computer.  I mean it is faster and stuff." 

"I have, at least try twice.  The first time we tried Willow accidentally released a demon named Moloch and the second time, well I can't remember what happened.  But, I don't trust computers as you all know and well you just have to read the books 

like they use to do back before those blasted things were invented."  Giles told them as he sat down with the others.  

"Fine, mean man."  Buffy joked to him.  "But, you know it is a better book party with doughnuts.  Hey, where are the doughnuts?"  She asked looking at the table for them.  

"I have them, here they are."  Xander said as he grabbed the boxes from where he put his coat down at. 

"Xander are you hogging the sweets again."  Willow said to him. 

"Hey, remember that time a few years ago.  When we dared Xander to eat a whole box of Ho-Ho's." Buffy said started to laugh remembering the event. 

"Yeah, because back then he said that he couldn't get through a school day without one.  He ate the whole box and was sick the rest of the day.  And we weren't allowed to mention chocolate or creamy-centers for a week."  Willow started to laugh.

"Poor me."  Xander said to them.  "I will never do it again, that is unless someone offers some money for me to do it again."  They all laughed a Xander's comment.  After they finish laughing Giles notice the girl standing inside the door of the shop.  

"Hello, might I be able to help you?" Giles asked the girl.  The girl came over to the table where everyone was at now. 

"Hi, I am looking for Buffy Summers.  Is she here?"  She asked to group of people.

"I am her, and you are?"  She asked the girl who looked a little to excited to be there. 

"I am name is Jade Allison, I am here to help you."  She said her, fast and excitely.

"To help me what?"  Buffy asked her with a confused look on her face.

"To fight the demons and vampires." She told her simple, everyone looked at Buffy for a reaction, but Xander provide that when she said that.  He started to joke on his soda he was drinking. 

"I am all right." He choked out, when he could talk again.  

"Excuse me."  He started and put his hand up to get Jade's attention.  "How do you know about Buffy and what she… huh does?"  Giles asked the girl.  

"Well, I got interested in demons; I am a horror movie freak.  I read up on vampires mostly and heard about a girl called the Slayer.  Some researching and I got more information and found out that you were her and here I am."  She told them as she looked around the table at everyone's reaction.  They all had the same stunned face, Jade just stood there and smiled at them.  

"So, where are you from?"  Willow asked while letting the others minds work again, especially Buffy's.

"A small town outside of Green Bay, Wisconsin."  She told him.  "So, who are all of you?" Jade asked them.  

"Oh, my name is Rupert Giles."  Giles said as he finally came back to where is mind was at and he waved to her.

"I am Alexander Harris, but it just Xander, and this is Dawn, Anya, Willow and you already seem to know Buffy.  We are all friends and Dawn and Buff are sisters."  Xander finished the introductions for Giles.  Everyone said hi's and hello's, or just waved.  

"So, do you all fight the demons too?"  Jade asked them looking at the books piled in front of them.

"Yes, we help with research by going through the books or what ever."  Dawn finally spoke up. 

"What about the fighting part?"  Jade questioned her. 

"I do all that part, but sometimes they also help me out there too."  Buffy told her. 

"So is there a chance that I might be able to help out, too?" she asked the gang smiling.  Buffy looked at her, she wouldn't be much of a fighter, but she could help go through the books.   

"Well, since you are good at researching, you can help in that department."  Buffy told her.  "By helping Dawn, Giles and Anya with the books.  While the rest of us go check out that guy in the hospital."  Buffy finish saying as she got up from the table. When she started to put on her coat Xander and Will got up too. 

            "Thank you, so much.  I promise to help as much as I can."  Jade told her gratefully as she sat down at the table with the others.

            "Whatever."  She said as she closed the door, behind her.  Jade grabbed one of the open books from the pile. 

            "So, what are we looking for?" She said all cheerfully and the others looked at her.

Buffy, Willow and Xander got in his car; none of them knew what to say.  After a while Xander decided to break the silence.  

"Hey, how does it feel to be famous, not only to demons?  I think it is so cool."  He said to Buffy.

            "It is kind of exciting." Willow agreed with Xander. 

            "It is not cool or exciting, it is weird."  She told them.  

"What do you mean, Buffster?" Xander asked looking at her, who was sitting next to him for a brief second and then back on the road.

            "Well," Buffy started.  "How did she find out stuff about me?" She asked both of them.

            "Maybe…"  Xander started trying to think of a good reason. "Maybe, she is a genius at research."

            "Aren't slayers mention in books about vampires and there is that whole '_Myth of the Slayer_' books too, that anyone can get." Willow told her just as Xander pulled into the hospital's parking garage and parked. 

            "That is true, Buffy."  Xander said to her as they got out of the car.

            "I know.  But, wouldn't you guys think that it is a bit creepy if she knew things about you?" She said, looking at them with sympathetic eyes.

            "Well, yeah.  But, I think Xander might like it even more."  Willow joked.

            "I would not."  He said with his voice a bit high, which meant that he was lying. Buffy and Willow both turned around to face him, with their eye brows raised, knowing he was lying.  "Okay, I would.  Someone that is interested in me and travel all 

the way here to hell-mouth central to meet me.  It is every man's dream.  Okay, it's mine dream." He finally admitted.  Both of the girls just rolled their eyes.   "What?" Xander asked them when they turned away from him and Willow punched the button on the elevator.

"Buffy, I think you are overacting a little bit, she is probably doesn't know every detail of your life."  Will told her. "Just the basics, you being called, stopping the end-of-the-world crisis on a daily basis and that's all. 

            "Yeah, she didn't even know who we are and we been around forever." Xander said as they stepped onto the elevator.  

"You're probably right.  I might be stressing over nothing." She said as the doors closed on them.  "But, do me a favor.  Don't tell her any details of our lives." She asked them.  They both gave her questioned looks. 

            "Why, Buffy?"  Xander asked her. 

"I don't want this girl know more about me, until we know more about her.  I am playing the whole Ben/Glory card here." She told them.  They both nodded their head in agreement.  

Obviously, they were really serious with the whole research kick.  In front of them was a pile of about forty books and they had to read through all of them.  Jade was starting to get some-what bored. 

            "So, how long have you all known each other?"   She asked out loud while stretching out in the chair.  Everybody looked up from their books at her.

            "I am her little sister and everyone else are all friends of ours.  The two who left with Buffy, Xander and Willow, have all been best friends ever since we moved here.  

            "Oh, that's great and what about you two?"  She said looking over at Giles and Anya from across the table. 

            "I use to be engaged to Xander and I use to work for Giles, here at this store."  Anya told her.  "But when he went back to England, he gave the shop to me."  She finished saying.  

"And I was or I am Buffy's Watcher."  Giles told her trying to get all of this out so they can get back to what they were doing before.

            "Wait a minute.  I thought that Watchers stayed around to be with their Slayers, what happened?"  Jade asked him.  Everyone looked at each other and did not say 

anything for a couple of seconds.  Like they were thinking if they should say something, like it was a huge secret.   Finally Dawn looked at Jade and spoke up. 

            "It is a very long story." She said. 

            "Great, I love stories as long as it is a really good one." Jade said to Dawn getting all excited. 

            "Oh, it is a really good one." She told her raising the wrinkles in her forehead. 

When they finally reached the room the man was sleeping inside.  So, they decided to take a peek at his chart, instead of him.  There wasn't much to see, he all bandaged up.  Xander played look-out for any nurses that were coming, while Willow read it to them what it said.

            "Serious, 3rd degree burns to his face, hands and torso.  Much of the skin and tissue burned away.  Results indicate some sort of chemical burn, such as that of gasoline or acid."  Willow finished reading the page.  

            "Okay.  That sounds like the demon that we are looking for, work."  Xander said. 

            "I know, anything else Will?" Buffy asked

            "Let me see." She turned the page.  "Oh, that's strange." She said to herself. 

            "What?"  Buffy asked looking at what she was reading. 

            "It says here that at closer examination, indicated that there were deep tissue scratches inside some of the burns as well as welts on other parts of the body and nothing on other places.  That must means that it probably burned the surface of the skin to get whatever it wanted inside with it's hands or whatever it uses."  She said, then started to look for more information but couldn't find any.  

            "So, the guy must have struggled to get free, that's how I bet he got the burns on his hands."  Xander said as Willow put the chart back on the desk of the nurse's station.

"Probably."  Buffy said to him. 

"Okay, so we will go back to the Magic Box.  See how they are doing on the research front and give them the info. on the man."  Willow told them as they started to walk down the hall to the elevators to go back down. 

"Hey Buff, are you going to patrol tonight?"  Xander asked her, while they waited for the elevator to arrive.

"Yeah, I could really use the workout.  And hey, maybe if I am really lucky, I'll catch our new friend in the act."  She said to them.  They both looked at her doubtfully.  "I know I am reaching."  She said as the elevator finally showed up.  

Back at the Magic Box, Anya told Jade basically what all happened to them that year.  Everything from them bring Buffy back to life to Willow almost destroying the world, because of her addiction to magic and grief from Tara death. Also about Xander stopped her from doing it.  

"Wow, I can't believe he actually did that."  Jade said sitting there dumbfounded, after what she had just heard.  

"Yes.  We couldn't believe it either and when Giles almost died. Well, I was so sad for him."  Anya told her looking over at Giles, who was too involved in the book to hear.  "I mean he came all the way back here to stop Willow and almost died in the process."  She added as she turned back to Jade. 

"I am confused, Giles you almost died?" Jade asked him, when he looked up at the mention of his name this time, closing the book he was reading. 

"What?"  He asked Jade, as he reached for another book from the pile that was not getting any smaller.

"She wants to know why you almost died." Dawn told him.  Jade looked over at her, she did not look up as she turned the page of the book.  

"Oh.  Well, I um… It is kind of difficult to explain."  He started as he took off his glasses and cleaned them.  He put them back on and continued what he was saying.  "I borrowed magic powers to come here from a coven in England, when I founded out about Willow.  They worked on a way to drain her magicks, while I stalled her.  But, instead she took mine and it almost left me dead. That was the only way for me to do it.  Sacrificing my life in order to save her's.  The powers she took from me counteracted her's.  It made her feel everyone's pain and emotions, which she felt that she had to stop. She almost ended the world, but lucky Xander got to her in time and made her stop.  He was the only one who could stop her.  You see, I gave her the really essences of magic and it made her feel again.  Xander was the only one that could make her, also at the same time her powers were draining."  He told her.  "But as much as you are interested in the great adventures, we call our lives.  We really must concentrate and find this demon." He told them trying to get back on track and change the subject. 

"You're absolutely right.  We should get back to work." Jade told him as she returned to her book. Giles just raised his brow, taking back a bit.  Some one was actually agreeing with him.  He smiled a little; he was starting to like this girl.   Then he went back to his book. 

"Hey, you forgot to mention that I help Buffy kick major monster butt."  Dawn told Anya looking up from her book.  They all look over at Dawn.

"Sorry Dawnie.  How could I forget." Anya said apologies to Dawn. Anya was trying very hard not to treat Dawn like a child, because she was not one.   "That is something very big for you and I should know by now.  I am sorry.  Again, Dawn." Anya added smiling at Dawn.  Giles just rolled his eyes as he continued to read.

A half-an-hour later Buffy and the others returned and told the others their findings.  Then they settled in to help the others out.  It was not long after, that they found their guy.  Jade was the one who actually found him.  She handed the book over to Giles so he could see it and tell what it was to the others.  

"Arupneick, an acid demon summoned to torture or destroys its prey, by burning of the body.  He is not very powerful, except for his hands.  Which he uses on his victims, they are fuel by the acid throughout its entire body.  In order to kill it; you must stab it in the heart and burn it's body." He finished reading and look at everyone. 

"He is so cool looking, better if it was a color picture." Dawn said looking over Giles shoulder.  Giles turned and looked at her, but did not say anything. 

"Sounds like a basic kill." Buffy told him, "Well except the burn part afterwards, but hey more work for me." She added.  

"So, do you want us to come with you on patrol tonight, you know just incase you run into this Arup-whatever."  Xander asked Buffy.  

"No, I think I can do it.  Just a couple of blows and avoided the hands. I got it."  She told him.  "So, how do I find him?"  She asked Giles. 

"I am not sure. There is a spell in here to bring him forth, but it has already been spoken.  So, I don't know if it will work again." He said marking the page in the book, "We can try it if you want?"  

"No, I just hunt it like I normally do." She said. "I am going to go change and stretch out, who knows what kind of fight I might be in for."  Buffy got up and went into the training room to get her spare clothes.  While the others closed the books with another demon found, and restacked them.   Jade decided to stay awhile and look at some of the stuff on the shelves, while the others talked.  

Later that night, Buffy was patrolling at the cemetery, thinking about that new girl and the demon she was looking for.  She was so deep in thoughts, that she almost missed the vampire coming at her.  She threw a punch to distract him as she reached for the stake in her coat pocket, just as he recovered.  He was about to punch her back, but she staked him before he got a chance.  He turned to dust like they always did.  She suddenly sensed another one around, but she did not see anything.  She continued to walk, she would meet up with it eventuality, she always did.  Just then someone familiar came out of the no where, it was Spike.  

"Hello Buffy.  Long time no see."  He told her just standing there in her way.  

"Wonderful", she said quietly to herself, just what she needed to add to her new little adventure. "Drop dead Spike, again." She said as she walked past him and not looking back.  The insult didn't seem to hurt him at all.  He turned around to face her back. 

"Aren't you going to ask where I been at?" he asked her.  Buffy really did not want to get into it with him.  She was really starting to like it with him gone.  She stopped and turned around to face him. 

"I really don't care."  She said like she really didn't. 

"Okay, then how's about we play a little game then, Luv?" Spike asked her with his trademark smirk on his face.  Buffy just stood there, looking at him. 

"Here we go with the old stuff." She said to herself.  "Spike, I have told you over and over again and this is the last time.  There will never, ever be anything between us again.  Not even after… what you did." She said to him a firm, forceful voice.  The last couple of word suddenly got caught in her throat.  She began to walk off not letting him see her hurt again.  Before the tears starting to come in her eyes. 

"God Summers, would you stop with that old song.  Do you want to play or not?" He asked her getting mad.  He wanted to tell her about his soul, but he didn't want to blurt it out.  He wanted her to figure it out on her own. 

"I have other more important things to do the play guessing game, especially with you." She said trying to blow him off.  

"You know the faster you guess, the faster you can go." He said to her, hoping that would get her going.  "Or do you want to stay for awhile?" That did it, she wanted to leave.  Buffy took a deep breath and rolled her eyes. 

"Fine." She agreed to his stupid game.

"Good.  Now guess what do Angel, farm boy and I all have in common?" he asked her coming closer, she back up more. 

"I don't know besides, hurting me and leaving.  I can't guess." She told him sarcastically, waiting to see if she was right so she could go.

"Wrong, Slayer.  But you get another chance." He told her smiling.

"Spike." She said starting to get pissed off. 

"Alright, alright.  You know what you are no bloody fun." He said to her, "You're nothing but a party pooper, Summers."  He missed rattling her cage.  Buffy decide to start to walk away from him again, knowing that he was just messing with her.  Spike finally gave up letting her guess. "The correct answer would be.  What is a soul?  Alex." He says to her, hoping that would make her stop.  It did but she did not turn around. 

"What?" She asked him, not sure she heard him right. 

"That's right.  I got a soul just like the others now." Spike said to her, in a matter of fact way, getting even closer.   She turned around to face him. 

"What do you mean?  How did you?" Buffy asked him out of shock and confusion. 

"Like I said, I got a soul.  I went out and got me one.  The thing is…" He started to come even closer where they were a couple of feet apart "I wasn't cursed with it, I worked my ass off for it actually."  He finished saying, smirking.

"How?"  She asked trying to get her mind to think straight. 

"I went on a little trip and got it.  I am not an 'evil soul-less thing' anymore, like you and your scoobies use to call me.  Now you can call me the creature, formally know as the evil soul-less thing, but I still prefer Spike."  He told his smirk grew into a grin; making a joke out of his old nickname they use to call him.   When they wanted him to feel bad or insult him.  Buffy just stood there listening to this, finally her mind snapped back into action.

"That doesn't mean anything to me." She said to him in her angry voice. "Just because you have that chip in your head and now a soul, still does not change anything." She told him and walked away before he could say something back.  He just stood there watching her walk away.  He let a disgusted sound from his mouth and turned around and walked in the opposite direction back to his place.  

Buffy couldn't believe what Spike had just told her, 'Was it even possible? If it was true what would she do?'  So many questions, but would there be any answers.  She quickened her pace to get to the house.  It was time for an emergency meeting to deal with any old problem again. 

The End of Part One


	2. A note for Jaded

Part 1:

It was evening the sun had just finished setting and it was growing darker and darker by the second.  A man who was not very tall and was of medium-build.  Had just left his office building working later then the rest of his co-workers, carrying a briefcase filled with more work for him to do at home.  He was walking to his car when he sensed something behind him.  He stopped walking and turned around, but there was no one there.  He shrugged it off, "Stupid nerves", he mumbled to himself.  He started to walk again this time quickening his pace. This town was not known for being one of the safest anywhere. But, soon he felt it again and this time even the hair on the back of his neck and arms stood up.  He decided to be more cautious, gripping the briefcase more tightly to use as a weapon if he had to.  He spun around so fast that he almost lost his balance, but again nothing.  He breathed a short sigh of relieve to calm his nerves and slow his heartbeat.  He turned back around to face his car, but when he did he could not see it.  In front of him was some sort of thing, a monster or something.  He tried to scream but no sound came from his mouth.  The man just had a frighten look of terror upon his now pale face.  This creature or monster was coming even closer to him.  He tried to move, but his limbs would not budge at all, not even the arm with the hand that held the case. He couldn't run, scream or even fight for his life; he was at the mercy of this thing.  He knew that this was the end of him as the monster lunged at him. 

The next day everyone was at the magic shop, which was still not up and running yet.  The whole gang was there; Buffy, Anya, Dawn, Xander, and even Willow and Giles were there working on it, after what happen to it months earlier.  Giles was still there to help out with the insurance claims for Anya.  He was also helping Willow with her counseling to bring her back from what she did and to deal with Tara's death.  He and Buffy were in the training room working out together.  The training room was back to normal, with the least amount of damage to it.  Willow and Dawn are organizing books, Will was doing better and everyone still loved her and understood what she was going through.  They were also helping with her recovery, keeping her busy and stuff.  They were listening to Anya and Xander argue over shelving space and how it would look in the place. She wanted more shelves in the shop to fit her new 

Philosophy: the more shelves, the more items, the more money to make.  He was trying to explain to her that if there are more shelves that no one will be able to browse around, without hitting a table or something.  That if people can't browse and move around that she is not going to be able to make her "more money".  Besides that, they were sort of talking together but taking things very slowly with the whole relationship.  Buffy and Dawn were getting along better then before too.  Buffy lightened up a little, letting Dawn have a bit more freedom and even let her learn some self-defense.  She was learning just incase she was attacked by something or someone and Buffy was not around.  Buffy seemed to lighten up on herself to, she was just like her old self again, not worrying about the dark things.  She was just enjoying her friends and her life again, she was not even really thinking about Spike.  Who no one had seen since he left town.  Every time she went out patrolling, she kept on expecting to see or hear him.  But, lately things had been quiet except for the usually vampires.  The gang was just enjoying it while it lasted. 

Back at the magic shop Anya's and Xander's argument is getting louder.  

"Anya, I told you it would look to cluttered, and shelfy."  He told her pointing to the shelf behind the counter.

"Fine then, how about we add a few more shelves around here then."  She said turning around looking at the shop to see where they could be put. 

"And where would you put them at?" He asked her thinking she would not find any places. 

"Well, we can move that table out of here and put one there."  She said as she pointed to the table where Willow and Dawn were sitting at, the table where the scoobies sat at and did research when they were there.   

"Ahn, You can't get rid of the research table.   Where would we do it at?"  He told her looking at her now. 

"You guys can research in the training room, more room for spreading out and books."  She said as she started to go over the plans again.  

"What?" he said confused at what she just said. 

"Look with the table gone I might be able to put two little ones there."  She pointed back at the table.  Xander just rolled his eyes again for the hundredth time since 

they started this discussion, but he loved every minute of it.  He and Anya were starting to sound like they use when they were talking about something together as a couple. 

Willow and Dawn decide to move away to a more open area towards the back of the shop where they were not around Anya's and Xander's fight.  When Willow was sure that they couldn't see them she started to mock Xander and was doing a good job.  Dawn started to do Anya and they were starting to laugh in between imitations. 

"Anya, Why do you need to add a shelf to the grown number you all ready have?", she said in her best Xander's voice.  

"Because, I need shelves there are my life, that and being rich."  Dawn sound really great as Anya.

"Well, I can't make anymore my shelf-making power is all most gone."  Willow started to crackle up with laugher, while do superhero stances.  Dawn was almost gone too.

"Well, then I will have to find a way to make all of you into shelves.  Then I will have enough to make tons of money."  Dawn said rubbing her hands in a greedy way.  

 Just as they were really starting to get into full laugh-mode Buffy and Giles came out and were talking about food.  

"I don't know I can sure go for some pizza with everything on it."  Buffy said to him as she sat down at the table, as he walked over to the counter seeing Anya's latest plans update.  

"I have a craving for Chinese, some egg rolls and also chicken on white rice. "  Giles told her; "How about you two?" he asked Xander and Anya. 

"I could do a pizza", Xander said as he walked over to the table. 

"Yes, me too."  She said to Giles, "oh, with lots of mushrooms." She added on as she started to get that exciting look in her eyes, like she did over everything.  Willow and Dawn came out from where they were hiding at the mention of food; it seemed that everyone was hungry.  

"Hey, did some one mention pizza?"  Dawn asked standing next to her sister. 

"We are trying to figure out what to get for lunch."  Giles told them and he already know what they answers were going to be and he lost. 

"A pizza from me."  Willow said looking at everyone else. 

"Pizza me too."  Dawn chimed in.  Everyone then looked at Giles and he gave in and they all decide to order three large pizza; one with everything, one with just cheese and another with half extra black olives and extra mushroom.  Xander decided to make the pizza and soda run, to get a breather from Anya. While he was gone Giles decide to teach Dawn a new move, and Buffy went over to help Will. Dawn love that Buffy was so much cooler and even letting her learn karate and stuff.  She even said that after she was better at it and Giles and her both approved that she might be able to go with her on patrol, Dawn couldn't wait.  But, of course she also had to keep her grades up, no stealing and being good with the other stuff. Dawn followed Giles to the back of the store as Buffy and Willow started to laugh over what her and Dawn were doing before they came out. 

Meanwhile outside the magic shop, a girl walked out of the store across the street just as Xander drove away from the magic shop.  The girl was short about 5'1" with medium-length reddish blond hair.  She was a pale complexion, who seemed to be different in some way.  She was quiet and kept to herself, for she had no really friends.  But the one thing that really stood out on her was her eyes.  They were an incredible beautiful color of green, actual the color of Jade to be exacted.  This is how she got her name Jade…Jade Allison.  She just came to Sunnydale a year before and she was all ready settled in.  This was a strange town and she loved it, better then where she came from.  She looked over at the Magic Box, she always wanted to go in there but by the time she finally got around to it, it was closed for repairs.  There were other magic shops around there, Sunnydale seem to be supernatural central or something.  But that shop seemed different, like it was special or had something special attach to it.  She shrugged her shoulders and head towards her hotel. 

Spike was actually back in Sunnydale hanging low, not letting anyone know he was back until he figured out what he wanted to do with Buffy.  He was in a dark quiet motel room by himself.  He was tired and hungry, and he did not have any blood left.  That meant that he had to go out tonight and try to get some without anyone recognizing him.  He got to town a couple of weeks ago and stayed in the room since.  He was feeling different; weaker or stronger, he couldn't make up his mind.  The whole soul thing was making him confessed, or maybe it was the chip again.  He was starting 

to thing about Buffy again for the thousandth time.  'What was he going to do? What would he say to her? Would this even help him or was it a big waste?'  These questions 

were always hunting him when he started to think of her.  'What do you do with a soul? Would he be just like Angel or even worse thanks to the chippy still in his head?'  

More questions to come with each thought.  He looked out the closed window; night in few more hours and then he will come out of the dark to the dark. 

Later that night, Spike decided to go to his crypt to see if there was any blood left in the refrigerator.  Clem was still there and was taken good care of the place.  It was Tuesday night-poker night, he made sure to stop by when he was gone.  He really 

didn't want to get into where he was and what he did with him.  He made sure the coast was clear as he made his way across the cemetery to his front door.  He was growing weak from lack of blood and he wanted to get in and out of there.  He wanted to do this, incase Buffy decided to pick this graveyard to patrol tonight, that was someone he really did not want to run into, not yet anyways.   Spike looked through one of the windows on the side, to make sure it was empty, it was.  He opened the door and closed it behind him so no one would know that someone was there.  He then headed straight for the icebox, praying for some blood to still be in there.  When he opened it, it was full of junk food; pudding, sodas, pickles, Ice cream and a lot of microwave meals.  'Yeah, Clem was really making himself at home.' He thought to himself, but he just rolled his eyes instead.  He searched through everything, careful not to disturb the contents and there in the very back was a liter of blood.  He grabbed it and drank some of it; it tasted so good as it went down.  He made sure to only drinking a little bit; just enough to regain some strength back.  He recapped the rest and looked around for anything else he needed.  He forgot where he left his leather duster at and wondered if it was there; no he did not see it.  He turned around and took one last look around and left his home again.  He made sure to take the same path back to the motel again, where he was sure not to be seen.  Just as he was out of sight, someone stepped out from behind a tree it was Jade. 

The next night Buffy was just about to enter her house; it had been a very long day and night.  Not only did she have to work a double-shift, but she also fought three vampires while patrolling.  All she wanted to do was eat, take a long bath and go to bed.  But, when she opened the door and walked into the living room, she was surprised to find Giles there.  He was sitting on the couch reading the newspaper. 

"Uh, Giles.   What are you doing here?" she asked as she shed her jacket.

"Willow", he told her as he put the paper down, "She had one of her nightmares and she did not want to be alone.  Dawn is spending the night at Megan's house and I decided to stay until you came home from work."  He finished telling her as she sat down next to him.  

"Oh, is…is she okay now?" she asked looking up the stairs worried.

"Yes, she fell back to sleep about an hour ago." He said as he took off his glasses and rubbed his tired eyes.  "Buffy, I think Willow is getting better, but like I said before it is going to take quite some time. "  He said as he replaced the glasses back on his face.  

"I know, but at least she is getting better.  I'm sorry that you had to come over here tonight.  I was only supposes to work this morning but that idiot John didn't show up and I had to work his shift.  I just hate co-workers sometimes, especially when I get punished for it.  " Buffy said to him trying to help change the subject.

"It is alright, I remember how that use to be.  I used to work with Anya.  I wasn't even allowed to go by or near the register, without her running over to see what I was doing and it was my bloody store. " He smiled at her with a little chuckle and she smiled back at him, god how she had missed him.  "I am glad that I can be here to help you guys out.  I miss not be able too." He said as if he had just read her mind. 

"Yeah, me too." She said as both of them just smiled at each other and sat in silence for a couple of seconds. Neither of them wanted to mention about him leaving again, actual no one brought it up, not even Anya.

"Oh Buffy, there is something that I wanted to show you." He said as he reached for the paper.  "I was reading this right before Willow called me, and I just finished the article.  It sounded interesting and a bit strange.  A man was found this morning in a parking lot, burned to death.  The police do not have any witness or know what might have caused it.  One of the officers said, 'that it might have been foul play, but they have to investigate some more.'"  He told her as she looked at the article and the picture of the man. 

"Are you sure it was a demon, it sounds like someone tried to kill him by setting him on fire."  She told him as she set the paper down and looked back up at him.  

"I won't know for sure until I see the body, but I'm going to tell everyone tomorrow and we might need to start looking for this thing.  Just in case, to prevent something like it happening again."  He said to her and they both feel back into silence again.   "Well, I better be going it is really late."  He said as he started to get up after a few more moments of sitting together.   

"Okay, I'll see you in the morning then." she stood up as he did and walk to the door.  

"Yes. Well good night Buffy."  He said as he gave her one last smile 

"Good night, Giles." She told him as he walked out the door and to his rental car.  She closed the door behind him and turned off the lights in the house.  "There goes those quiet nights in Sunnydale," she said to herself as she head upstairs.  When she reached the top, she decided to take a quick look in on Willow.  She was still sleeping, hugging a pillow that use to be Tara's.  Buffy closed the door gently and opened hers'.  She turned on the light and sat down on her bed.  She took the pony tale holder out of her hair and put that and the hat that she took off earlier on her dresser.  She gathered her stuff together; decide to get what she was going to wear tomorrow out so she did not have to worry about it later.  She opened the closet and pulled out a new shirt that she brought a couple of days ago.  She thought that maybe her, Dawn and Willow can all wear it and that way she would not feel guilt over buying it.  Buffy started to search for the right pair of bottoms to wear with it.  When she came across something, she had forgotten that she put in there…Spike's duster.  She original threw it in there, so she did not have to look at it and remember what had happened.  But after she found out that he left, she decided to hang it up and keep it just incase he did come back and wanted it.  Buffy just stood there and stared at it.  She took her hand and touched the leather sleeve of the coat.  Trying to remember how he uses to make her feel different when she was with him, more alive.  Then she would feel different in the next minute, like sick through out her entire body, like after…  She shook her head to get that thought out before it made itself full.  She looked at it one more time, and then she shoved it to the back of the closet, where no one could see it.  She took a deep breath as she closed the door and regathers, her stuff again and head for the bathroom for a long needed bath. 

Jade was laying in bed at the hotel room she had just finish reading a very good book, that was teaching all sorts of different things.  She smiled as she placed it on the table next to the bed.  The book was called, '_Magic and Other Supernatural Things in This World._'  She turns off her bed light and settles into the covers, just as something strange appears in the room out of no where.  It was a monster of some sort, it she turned on the light right next to her and looked over at it.  It was red like, a blood red.  It had three horns on it's head one come out of the top of his head and one on each side on his cheeks.  Three eyes two on top and one on the bottom, between both.  His mouth was full of sharp point teeth, like that of a shark, with two huge fangs.  He was about 7 feet tall with bumps covering all over his body.  His hands were also huge with very sharp nails on the end of his fingers, all six of them.    
  


"What are you doing here?" she asked the demon sitting up in bed. 

"To ask what you want me to do next?" he answered her as he just stood there.

"Good job.  I read what you did to that man.  But, this time I don't want you to kill him, just for you to hurt him.  See how long he can last, do you understand me?" 

she told him.  He just nodded his head and left in the flash of light and smoke.  Jade turned the light off again and settled back down in bed. 

The next day at the magic shop everyone was sitting around the table, while Giles explained to them what he had told Buffy the night earlier and what he found out 

at the coroner's office.  He told them that he was with a study of scientists who does papers on strange deaths, by burns.  

"The chief coroner told me, that in fact this man death was caused by burning.  He said that it was strange, because he had never seen anything like this before.  The man was burned through out in some places and not burned at all in other, like some one had place something there to concentrated on a specific area for a long period of time.  That is all he could tell me."  He said to them as he started to put the books on the table.

"So, you want us to look for something that can burn people up?"  Dawn asked as she repositioned herself in the chair and grabbed one of the books on the table. 

"Anya, are you sure you want us to research in here or do you want us to move to the training room?"  Xander asked Anya in a sarcastic tone.  Everyone just looked at Xander and Anya like they were both crazy; she just gave him a sour look.  

"Um, yes.  We need to start trying to look for this and figuring out how to stop it.  I was hoping to do it before anyone else got hurt, but I am afraid that we are already too late.  I heard on the way over here on the radio, that there was another attacks earlier this morning to some man jogging.  Luckily, for us he survived. The things is that he has been so badly burned, that's he isn't  able to talk.  So, I need someone to go to the hospital and see if he has similar type of injures that to other man had.  If so then they may be the same creature.  He told them as piled more books on the table, getting back at the subject at hand.  

"Are we sure it is not that singing demon, Sweet again?" Anya asked.

"I am sure no sing or dancing as of yet." Giles reassured her.

"I got a theory", Xander started to sing out loud.  Everyone just looked at him horrified and then he broke into a huge grin.  "I am just joking." He said normally again still grinning. 

"That is not funny, at all." Buffy told him.  He just rolled his eyes and Giles continued with what he was saying, sounding a bit annoyed. 

"So, if it is not him, it is a different sort of demon."  Giles informs them. "Willow, do you think that you are up for this?  I mean go to the hospital?  It's alright if you are not ready.  I can go." He asked looking over at Willow as he paused with the books. 

"I think that I can, but I think it would be better if someone could come with me."  She told him quietly. 

"No, sweat Will.  Me and Buffy will go with you.  I be the driver, you be the brains, and Buffy the brawn.  The perfect team."  Xander said, to make Willow smile and she did.  

"Hey, I got brains too." Buffy said to Xander playfully hitting him, also getting him back for the singing. 

"I know but not Willow brains, you don't." He told her laughing through the pain in his arm now.  Willow smiled now broke into a laugh and Buffy made a quick pouting face.  Dawn looking at the pile of fifty books sitting in front of them, that Giles had just finished piling on the table. 

"Giles, I was just wondering something.  With the hundreds of times you guys go through these books, that you might want to put them on a computer.  I mean it is faster and stuff." 

"I have, at least try twice.  The first time we tried Willow accidentally released a demon named Moloch and the second time, well I can't remember what happened.  But, I don't trust computers as you all know and well you just have to read the books 

like they use to do back before those blasted things were invented."  Giles told them as he sat down with the others.  

"Fine, mean man."  Buffy joked to him.  "But, you know it is a better book party with doughnuts.  Hey, where are the doughnuts?"  She asked looking at the table for them.  

"I have them, here they are."  Xander said as he grabbed the boxes from where he put his coat down at. 

"Xander are you hogging the sweets again."  Willow said to him. 

"Hey, remember that time a few years ago.  When we dared Xander to eat a whole box of Ho-Ho's." Buffy said started to laugh remembering the event. 

"Yeah, because back then he said that he couldn't get through a school day without one.  He ate the whole box and was sick the rest of the day.  And we weren't allowed to mention chocolate or creamy-centers for a week."  Willow started to laugh.

"Poor me."  Xander said to them.  "I will never do it again, that is unless someone offers some money for me to do it again."  They all laughed a Xander's comment.  After they finish laughing Giles notice the girl standing inside the door of the shop.  

"Hello, might I be able to help you?" Giles asked the girl.  The girl came over to the table where everyone was at now. 

"Hi, I am looking for Buffy Summers.  Is she here?"  She asked to group of people.

"I am her, and you are?"  She asked the girl who looked a little to excited to be there. 

"I am name is Jade Allison, I am here to help you."  She said her, fast and excitely.

"To help me what?"  Buffy asked her with a confused look on her face.

"To fight the demons and vampires." She told her simple, everyone looked at Buffy for a reaction, but Xander provide that when she said that.  He started to joke on his soda he was drinking. 

"I am all right." He choked out, when he could talk again.  

"Excuse me."  He started and put his hand up to get Jade's attention.  "How do you know about Buffy and what she… huh does?"  Giles asked the girl.  

"Well, I got interested in demons; I am a horror movie freak.  I read up on vampires mostly and heard about a girl called the Slayer.  Some researching and I got more information and found out that you were her and here I am."  She told them as she looked around the table at everyone's reaction.  They all had the same stunned face, Jade just stood there and smiled at them.  

"So, where are you from?"  Willow asked while letting the others minds work again, especially Buffy's.

"A small town outside of Green Bay, Wisconsin."  She told him.  "So, who are all of you?" Jade asked them.  

"Oh, my name is Rupert Giles."  Giles said as he finally came back to where is mind was at and he waved to her.

"I am Alexander Harris, but it just Xander, and this is Dawn, Anya, Willow and you already seem to know Buffy.  We are all friends and Dawn and Buff are sisters."  Xander finished the introductions for Giles.  Everyone said hi's and hello's, or just waved.  

"So, do you all fight the demons too?"  Jade asked them looking at the books piled in front of them.

"Yes, we help with research by going through the books or what ever."  Dawn finally spoke up. 

"What about the fighting part?"  Jade questioned her. 

"I do all that part, but sometimes they also help me out there too."  Buffy told her. 

"So is there a chance that I might be able to help out, too?" she asked the gang smiling.  Buffy looked at her, she wouldn't be much of a fighter, but she could help go through the books.   

"Well, since you are good at researching, you can help in that department."  Buffy told her.  "By helping Dawn, Giles and Anya with the books.  While the rest of us go check out that guy in the hospital."  Buffy finish saying as she got up from the table. When she started to put on her coat Xander and Will got up too. 

            "Thank you, so much.  I promise to help as much as I can."  Jade told her gratefully as she sat down at the table with the others.

            "Whatever."  She said as she closed the door, behind her.  Jade grabbed one of the open books from the pile. 

            "So, what are we looking for?" She said all cheerfully and the others looked at her.

Buffy, Willow and Xander got in his car; none of them knew what to say.  After a while Xander decided to break the silence.  

"Hey, how does it feel to be famous, not only to demons?  I think it is so cool."  He said to Buffy.

            "It is kind of exciting." Willow agreed with Xander. 

            "It is not cool or exciting, it is weird."  She told them.  

"What do you mean, Buffster?" Xander asked looking at her, who was sitting next to him for a brief second and then back on the road.

            "Well," Buffy started.  "How did she find out stuff about me?" She asked both of them.

            "Maybe…"  Xander started trying to think of a good reason. "Maybe, she is a genius at research."

            "Aren't slayers mention in books about vampires and there is that whole '_Myth of the Slayer_' books too, that anyone can get." Willow told her just as Xander pulled into the hospital's parking garage and parked. 

            "That is true, Buffy."  Xander said to her as they got out of the car.

            "I know.  But, wouldn't you guys think that it is a bit creepy if she knew things about you?" She said, looking at them with sympathetic eyes.

            "Well, yeah.  But, I think Xander might like it even more."  Willow joked.

            "I would not."  He said with his voice a bit high, which meant that he was lying. Buffy and Willow both turned around to face him, with their eye brows raised, knowing he was lying.  "Okay, I would.  Someone that is interested in me and travel all 

the way here to hell-mouth central to meet me.  It is every man's dream.  Okay, it's mine dream." He finally admitted.  Both of the girls just rolled their eyes.   "What?" Xander asked them when they turned away from him and Willow punched the button on the elevator.

"Buffy, I think you are overacting a little bit, she is probably doesn't know every detail of your life."  Will told her. "Just the basics, you being called, stopping the end-of-the-world crisis on a daily basis and that's all. 

            "Yeah, she didn't even know who we are and we been around forever." Xander said as they stepped onto the elevator.  

"You're probably right.  I might be stressing over nothing." She said as the doors closed on them.  "But, do me a favor.  Don't tell her any details of our lives." She asked them.  They both gave her questioned looks. 

            "Why, Buffy?"  Xander asked her. 

"I don't want this girl know more about me, until we know more about her.  I am playing the whole Ben/Glory card here." She told them.  They both nodded their head in agreement.  

Obviously, they were really serious with the whole research kick.  In front of them was a pile of about forty books and they had to read through all of them.  Jade was starting to get some-what bored. 

            "So, how long have you all known each other?"   She asked out loud while stretching out in the chair.  Everybody looked up from their books at her.

            "I am her little sister and everyone else are all friends of ours.  The two who left with Buffy, Xander and Willow, have all been best friends ever since we moved here.  

            "Oh, that's great and what about you two?"  She said looking over at Giles and Anya from across the table. 

            "I use to be engaged to Xander and I use to work for Giles, here at this store."  Anya told her.  "But when he went back to England, he gave the shop to me."  She finished saying.  

"And I was or I am Buffy's Watcher."  Giles told her trying to get all of this out so they can get back to what they were doing before.

            "Wait a minute.  I thought that Watchers stayed around to be with their Slayers, what happened?"  Jade asked him.  Everyone looked at each other and did not say 

anything for a couple of seconds.  Like they were thinking if they should say something, like it was a huge secret.   Finally Dawn looked at Jade and spoke up. 

            "It is a very long story." She said. 

            "Great, I love stories as long as it is a really good one." Jade said to Dawn getting all excited. 

            "Oh, it is a really good one." She told her raising the wrinkles in her forehead. 

When they finally reached the room the man was sleeping inside.  So, they decided to take a peek at his chart, instead of him.  There wasn't much to see, he all bandaged up.  Xander played look-out for any nurses that were coming, while Willow read it to them what it said.

            "Serious, 3rd degree burns to his face, hands and torso.  Much of the skin and tissue burned away.  Results indicate some sort of chemical burn, such as that of gasoline or acid."  Willow finished reading the page.  

            "Okay.  That sounds like the demon that we are looking for, work."  Xander said. 

            "I know, anything else Will?" Buffy asked

            "Let me see." She turned the page.  "Oh, that's strange." She said to herself. 

            "What?"  Buffy asked looking at what she was reading. 

            "It says here that at closer examination, indicated that there were deep tissue scratches inside some of the burns as well as welts on other parts of the body and nothing on other places.  That must means that it probably burned the surface of the skin to get whatever it wanted inside with it's hands or whatever it uses."  She said, then started to look for more information but couldn't find any.  

            "So, the guy must have struggled to get free, that's how I bet he got the burns on his hands."  Xander said as Willow put the chart back on the desk of the nurse's station.

"Probably."  Buffy said to him. 

"Okay, so we will go back to the Magic Box.  See how they are doing on the research front and give them the info. on the man."  Willow told them as they started to walk down the hall to the elevators to go back down. 

"Hey Buff, are you going to patrol tonight?"  Xander asked her, while they waited for the elevator to arrive.

"Yeah, I could really use the workout.  And hey, maybe if I am really lucky, I'll catch our new friend in the act."  She said to them.  They both looked at her doubtfully.  "I know I am reaching."  She said as the elevator finally showed up.  

Back at the Magic Box, Anya told Jade basically what all happened to them that year.  Everything from them bring Buffy back to life to Willow almost destroying the world, because of her addiction to magic and grief from Tara death. Also about Xander stopped her from doing it.  

"Wow, I can't believe he actually did that."  Jade said sitting there dumbfounded, after what she had just heard.  

"Yes.  We couldn't believe it either and when Giles almost died. Well, I was so sad for him."  Anya told her looking over at Giles, who was too involved in the book to hear.  "I mean he came all the way back here to stop Willow and almost died in the process."  She added as she turned back to Jade. 

"I am confused, Giles you almost died?" Jade asked him, when he looked up at the mention of his name this time, closing the book he was reading. 

"What?"  He asked Jade, as he reached for another book from the pile that was not getting any smaller.

"She wants to know why you almost died." Dawn told him.  Jade looked over at her, she did not look up as she turned the page of the book.  

"Oh.  Well, I um… It is kind of difficult to explain."  He started as he took off his glasses and cleaned them.  He put them back on and continued what he was saying.  "I borrowed magic powers to come here from a coven in England, when I founded out about Willow.  They worked on a way to drain her magicks, while I stalled her.  But, instead she took mine and it almost left me dead. That was the only way for me to do it.  Sacrificing my life in order to save her's.  The powers she took from me counteracted her's.  It made her feel everyone's pain and emotions, which she felt that she had to stop. She almost ended the world, but lucky Xander got to her in time and made her stop.  He was the only one who could stop her.  You see, I gave her the really essences of magic and it made her feel again.  Xander was the only one that could make her, also at the same time her powers were draining."  He told her.  "But as much as you are interested in the great adventures, we call our lives.  We really must concentrate and find this demon." He told them trying to get back on track and change the subject. 

"You're absolutely right.  We should get back to work." Jade told him as she returned to her book. Giles just raised his brow, taking back a bit.  Some one was actually agreeing with him.  He smiled a little; he was starting to like this girl.   Then he went back to his book. 

"Hey, you forgot to mention that I help Buffy kick major monster butt."  Dawn told Anya looking up from her book.  They all look over at Dawn.

"Sorry Dawnie.  How could I forget." Anya said apologies to Dawn. Anya was trying very hard not to treat Dawn like a child, because she was not one.   "That is something very big for you and I should know by now.  I am sorry.  Again, Dawn." Anya added smiling at Dawn.  Giles just rolled his eyes as he continued to read.

A half-an-hour later Buffy and the others returned and told the others their findings.  Then they settled in to help the others out.  It was not long after, that they found their guy.  Jade was the one who actually found him.  She handed the book over to Giles so he could see it and tell what it was to the others.  

"Arupneick, an acid demon summoned to torture or destroys its prey, by burning of the body.  He is not very powerful, except for his hands.  Which he uses on his victims, they are fuel by the acid throughout its entire body.  In order to kill it; you must stab it in the heart and burn it's body." He finished reading and look at everyone. 

"He is so cool looking, better if it was a color picture." Dawn said looking over Giles shoulder.  Giles turned and looked at her, but did not say anything. 

"Sounds like a basic kill." Buffy told him, "Well except the burn part afterwards, but hey more work for me." She added.  

"So, do you want us to come with you on patrol tonight, you know just incase you run into this Arup-whatever."  Xander asked Buffy.  

"No, I think I can do it.  Just a couple of blows and avoided the hands. I got it."  She told him.  "So, how do I find him?"  She asked Giles. 

"I am not sure. There is a spell in here to bring him forth, but it has already been spoken.  So, I don't know if it will work again." He said marking the page in the book, "We can try it if you want?"  

"No, I just hunt it like I normally do." She said. "I am going to go change and stretch out, who knows what kind of fight I might be in for."  Buffy got up and went into the training room to get her spare clothes.  While the others closed the books with another demon found, and restacked them.   Jade decided to stay awhile and look at some of the stuff on the shelves, while the others talked.  

Later that night, Buffy was patrolling at the cemetery, thinking about that new girl and the demon she was looking for.  She was so deep in thoughts, that she almost missed the vampire coming at her.  She threw a punch to distract him as she reached for the stake in her coat pocket, just as he recovered.  He was about to punch her back, but she staked him before he got a chance.  He turned to dust like they always did.  She suddenly sensed another one around, but she did not see anything.  She continued to walk, she would meet up with it eventuality, she always did.  Just then someone familiar came out of the no where, it was Spike.  

"Hello Buffy.  Long time no see."  He told her just standing there in her way.  

"Wonderful", she said quietly to herself, just what she needed to add to her new little adventure. "Drop dead Spike, again." She said as she walked past him and not looking back.  The insult didn't seem to hurt him at all.  He turned around to face her back. 

"Aren't you going to ask where I been at?" he asked her.  Buffy really did not want to get into it with him.  She was really starting to like it with him gone.  She stopped and turned around to face him. 

"I really don't care."  She said like she really didn't. 

"Okay, then how's about we play a little game then, Luv?" Spike asked her with his trademark smirk on his face.  Buffy just stood there, looking at him. 

"Here we go with the old stuff." She said to herself.  "Spike, I have told you over and over again and this is the last time.  There will never, ever be anything between us again.  Not even after… what you did." She said to him a firm, forceful voice.  The last couple of word suddenly got caught in her throat.  She began to walk off not letting him see her hurt again.  Before the tears starting to come in her eyes. 

"God Summers, would you stop with that old song.  Do you want to play or not?" He asked her getting mad.  He wanted to tell her about his soul, but he didn't want to blurt it out.  He wanted her to figure it out on her own. 

"I have other more important things to do the play guessing game, especially with you." She said trying to blow him off.  

"You know the faster you guess, the faster you can go." He said to her, hoping that would get her going.  "Or do you want to stay for awhile?" That did it, she wanted to leave.  Buffy took a deep breath and rolled her eyes. 

"Fine." She agreed to his stupid game.

"Good.  Now guess what do Angel, farm boy and I all have in common?" he asked her coming closer, she back up more. 

"I don't know besides, hurting me and leaving.  I can't guess." She told him sarcastically, waiting to see if she was right so she could go.

"Wrong, Slayer.  But you get another chance." He told her smiling.

"Spike." She said starting to get pissed off. 

"Alright, alright.  You know what you are no bloody fun." He said to her, "You're nothing but a party pooper, Summers."  He missed rattling her cage.  Buffy decide to start to walk away from him again, knowing that he was just messing with her.  Spike finally gave up letting her guess. "The correct answer would be.  What is a soul?  Alex." He says to her, hoping that would make her stop.  It did but she did not turn around. 

"What?" She asked him, not sure she heard him right. 

"That's right.  I got a soul just like the others now." Spike said to her, in a matter of fact way, getting even closer.   She turned around to face him. 

"What do you mean?  How did you?" Buffy asked him out of shock and confusion. 

"Like I said, I got a soul.  I went out and got me one.  The thing is…" He started to come even closer where they were a couple of feet apart "I wasn't cursed with it, I worked my ass off for it actually."  He finished saying, smirking.

"How?"  She asked trying to get her mind to think straight. 

"I went on a little trip and got it.  I am not an 'evil soul-less thing' anymore, like you and your scoobies use to call me.  Now you can call me the creature, formally know as the evil soul-less thing, but I still prefer Spike."  He told his smirk grew into a grin; making a joke out of his old nickname they use to call him.   When they wanted him to feel bad or insult him.  Buffy just stood there listening to this, finally her mind snapped back into action.

"That doesn't mean anything to me." She said to him in her angry voice. "Just because you have that chip in your head and now a soul, still does not change anything." She told him and walked away before he could say something back.  He just stood there watching her walk away.  He let a disgusted sound from his mouth and turned around and walked in the opposite direction back to his place.  

Buffy couldn't believe what Spike had just told her, 'Was it even possible? If it was true what would she do?'  So many questions, but would there be any answers.  She quickened her pace to get to the house.  It was time for an emergency meeting to deal with any old problem again. 

The End of Part One


	3. Jaded Part 2

Author's Note- I know I should have done this is the beginning of the story, but I forgot so Bite Me, a little vampire humor. Okay, everyone knows that I don't own the cast and characters of the show-all Joss and him alone. Even if I did I would have the gang as my friends, Giles as my dad, Andrew as my slave and of course Spike as my sex slave-Come on I am not the only one with that thought. He likes to play games, LOL. Anyways; Jade and the demon- boy is mine and whoever else is not familiar in the Buffyverse. Also later this week you will be getting part 2. I would love reviews but this dumb program won't let me do that, so I am going to give you my e-mail address for it. Honest ones please and maybe you can help me with a big problem I have with this little piece. Reviews please at spikesjade@yahoo.com Thanks. 


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